Left to contest over a dozen seats

Left parties have decided to contest about a dozen seats in the coming Delhi Assembly polls but are yet to evolve a joint election strategy on whom to support on seats which they are not contesting.

The CPI will contest five seats, two more than CPI(M), while Forward Bloc has decided to contest from two seats. RSP is yet to decide on whether to contest Delhi polls, saying they do not have a "convincing" candidate in their strongholds, which come under reserved constituencies.

Both CPI(M) and CPI are planning to contest one more seat each while Forward Bloc mulling fielding two more candidates.

In line with the party Central Committee direction, the Delhi CPI(M) has decided to ask its cadre to vote for BSP candidates in constituencies from where the nominees of Left and JD(S) are not contesting.

But other Left allies CPI, RSP and Forward Bloc said they were yet to decide upon their strategy in this regard.

"We will give a general call to our cadre to vote for BSP candidates in constituencies where Left parties and JD(S) are not contesting," CPI(M) Delhi State General Secretary Pushpendra Singh Grewal told PTI.

However, his CPI counterpart Amarjeet Kaur said her party's primary aim would be to ensure the defeat of BJP.

"There has been no discussion so far on the issue of whom to support where we are not contesting. We have to sit together. We have to think how to get BJP defeated. We don't want BJP to come to power," she said.

Senior RSP leader Abani Roy said his party is yet to formulate its position in this regard.